The Eternal Sketch

Three Weeks Later

Ryo stood before his parchment, brush in hand, heart steady. The past weeks had transformed his approach. What once drained him now came with ease—animals, objects, even food were no longer a challenge. His endurance had skyrocketed, and now he was ready to push himself further.

He took a deep breath and began sketching, his strokes precise and fluid. Hayate's form took shape again, every detail perfected through endless practice. The ink shimmered as energy coursed through it, and then—Hayate stepped forward, more solid than ever.

Ryo braced himself for the usual drain, but something was different. His body still felt the strain, but the connection was firmer, the stability stronger. He held it for thirty minutes, then forty. When he reached an hour, exhaustion clawed at his mind, but he refused to falter.

Callus observed from a distance, nodding approvingly. "You're adapting. But you're still too rigid in your approach."

Ryo turned to him, panting. "What do you mean?"

Callus gestured to Hayate. "You're trying to hold him like a statue—solid, unwavering. That's unnatural. Even real beings shift, breathe, flow. If you adjust your connection, distribute the strain, you might extend the duration further."

Ryo frowned but nodded. He dismissed Hayate and rested for a moment before trying again. This time, he focused not just on maintaining the summon but allowing flexibility, letting the ink shift naturally instead of forcing it into a rigid state.

The difference was immediate. Hayate moved more fluidly, and the burden on Ryo lightened just enough to make it noticeable. An hour passed, then another. By the third hour, he collapsed, completely drained—but he had done it.

Elara clapped slowly. "Well, look at you. Three hours. That's a hell of an improvement."

Ryo chuckled weakly. "Still not enough."

Callus crossed his arms. "Enough for now. You need to let your body adjust. Pushing too hard will only backfire."

Reluctantly, Ryo agreed. But as he lay back on the stone floor, staring at the ceiling, he felt something stir within him—a certainty that he was close to breaking through.

Soon, he wouldn't just be summoning Hayate.

Soon, he'd be ready for something even greater.